Veteran Nollywood actor Saidi Balogun has expressed frustration over the reckless disposal of refuse in Lagos, which causes flooding in the city.
Following heavy downpours that caused flash floods in areas like Ikurodu, Balogun in a video shared on social media, lamented that the blocked gutters on Ikurodu Road were a result of residents dumping of refuse into the drainage system.
“We are the government, and we are the ones doing this to ourselves,” Balogun said, emphasising the role individuals play in worsening the city’s flooding issues. He noted that he witnessed people dumping refuse into gutters in Maryland but couldn’t record the incident.
His words: “Because they dumped refuse into the gutter, look at Ikorodu road, people have blocked the gutter. We even saw some people at Maryland but we could record. Throwing dustbin into the gutter and the drainage blocked.”
The Lagos State Government has been cracking down on illegal waste dumping, with the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, warning that offenders could face up to three months in jail or a fine of N250,000.
The government has arrested over 3,000 offenders and sealed properties for environmental violations.
